Arrow – “Public Enemy” Episode Review

Arrow is back on track. Through out the length of its 3rd season the episodes have become particularly uneven and lacked that cohesiveness and consistency as compared to the first 2 seasons. But with this episode, I am entirely convinced that we are going to get a back-end of the season that is comparable to the first 2.

The episode started where it left off with the previous one where we see Maseo assassinate the mayor of Starling City and fire upon the people within the vicinity, prompting Team Arrow to decide to go on the offensive against Maseo and the league only to be countered by Ra’s Al Ghul by exposing the team against the SCPD. What ensued was by far the best chase scene this season, or probably the series. The show did a great job by hightening that sense of dread that maybe, just maybe, our heroes would get caught. Well no, not yet at least.

Having failed to capture team Arrow, Lance was in the middle of asking for more police resources when Maseo grabbed him and brought him to Ra’s. And from there on, all hell broke loose for Ollie’s secret identity as Ra’s exposed to Lance who the Arrow really was. Leading to a press conference announcing that knowledge. Having no option left, Ollie decided to turn himself in. By far one of the best scenes in the episode was that alone time that Lance had with Ollie in the back of the armored vehicle. Some of the best acting jobs I have seen from Lance on this show. You could really feel the anger and bitterness that Lance has on Ollie. Kudos to Paul Blackthorne for that epic scene.

The part where Roy stepped in for Ollie as the Arrow felt all too familiar with the Dark Knight, but it was flipped-around so it felt rather new. I could just see the fallout of this, knowing Thea.

The flashbacks matched the present time in terms of the action and threat that our heroes were experiencing. Its always a treat to see Celina Jade on the show, and even though we found out that she wasn’t Shado but her twin sister, Maye, its still a welcome surprise. However, I do wish we would arrive at a resolution on the flashback drama and get back to the part on how Argus fits in the season 3 flashbacks.

Side notes:

I do hope Ray Palmer gets integrated again in the whole story arc rather than get isolated scenes with him and Felicity that pretty much doesn’t make sense in the grand scheme of things.

Enjoyed the over-arching theme of telling the truth. Worked to great effect. With that, was disappointed that the same was not applied to Thea not knowing about the offer of Ra’s to Ollie

Where is Merlyn in all this?

Overall, 4.5/5 stars!

Gino is the Gladiators resident tv episode and comicbook reviewer, a lawyer in the making at day and full on comicbook geek by night.